LARGE meth lab at camp site in Roane County

Friday

Dec 21, 2012 at 4:10 PMDec 21, 2012 at 4:15 PM

Roane County Sheriff’s Department deputies remained busy this week. On Wednesday, an elaborate anhydrous ammonia lab was discovered at a camp site in the Rockwood area. However, no arrests associated with criminal activity have been made in that investigation.

by Beverly Majors

Roane County Sheriff’s Department deputies remained busy this week.

On Wednesday, an elaborate anhydrous ammonia lab was discovered at a camp site in the Rockwood area. However, no arrests associated with criminal activity have been made in that investigation.

Then, on Thursday, deputies found a “one-pot method” meth lab on Harrison Lane off River Road, which is in the area of the county commonly referred to as South of the River. Chief Deputy Tim Phillips said two people were arrested at the site, but no other information was available late Thursday.

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A Sheriff’s Department release said deputies received information Wednesday about suspicious activity on “some property in the Rockwood area,” and when Deputy Brandon Smith responded he found approximately 250 pounds of ammonia nitrate covered and concealed in the woods.

The Sheriff’s Department’s meth lab technicians — Deputies Mark Steinmann and Mitch Grigsby — along with Roane County Emergency Medical Service personnel also responded to the scene. Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton said the camp site was in the woods off Joyner Hollow Road in the Post Oak area of Rockwood.

According to the release, deputies found the anhydrous ammonia lab set up inside a large tent, camouflaged with black plastic and brush. Inside the tent, they found an additional 100 pounds of ammonia nitrate, along with several gallons of various acids, chemicals and fuels.

The camp reportedly included an air mattress, sleeping bags, a cooler of food, a propane heater and a homemade phone charger. The setup indicates the suspects were staying on site for long periods of time, the release stated. Deputies notified the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force for cleanup of the anhydrous lab.

Early estimates show the lab had the potential to produce 30 to 50 pounds of methamphetamine.

The Sheriff’s Department is still investigating the discovery of the lab and is working to develop more information on the responsible parties.

“According to the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, these anhydrous ammonia labs are prevalent in West Tennessee, and they have seen an influx of these labs moving east,” Sheriff Stockton stated in this week’s release.